The Encyclopedia of Homelessness is the first systematic effort to organize and summarize what we know about this complex topic which impacts not only the homeless but all of society. The Encyclopedia focuses on the current situation in the United States, with a comparative sampling of homelessness around the world. The Encyclopedia contains entries on Australia, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, France, Guatemala, Japan, Nigeria, Russia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Zimbabwe, Tokyo, Calcutta, London and others from around the world. The Encyclopedia of Homelessness meets the needs of a broad audience, offering a rich history and the data, views, and perspectives of experts from different disciplines and perspectives.
Although there is nothing new about homelessness, the coverage of the topic in this encyclopedia is indeed new. According to the introduction, its goal is to "summarize our knowledge of homelessness including describing the patterns of homelessness, focusing on the recent situation in America and a sampling of homelessness around the world." Most of the contributors are affiliated with either academic institutions or social service agencies, and major researchers in the field of homeless studies, including Ellen Bassuk, cofounder of the National Center on Family Homelessness; Martha Burt, director of the Social Services Program at the Urban Institute; and Gretchen Noll, deputy director of programs at the National Network for Youth, make up the editorial board.
The alphabetically arranged entries include articles about homelessness in eight major U.S. cities and 30 cities and nations around the world. As outlined in the "Reader's Guide" in volume 1, causes of homelessness, historical aspects, housing, policy, health and lifestyle issues, and service systems are among the broad topics covered. Examples of entry headings include Abeyance theory, Child care, Gentrification, HIV and AIDS, Images of homelessness in contemporary documentary film, Low-income housing, Marginality, Panhandling, Safe havens, and Salvation Army. Ranging in length from one to four pages, entries provide cross-references and lists of further reading. Additional resources are offered in the several appendixes, which take up most of volume 2: a bibliography of autobiographical and fictional accounts of homelessness, a filmography on homelessness, a directory of street newspapers, 23 documents related to the history of homelessness, and a "Master Bibliography." The index, more than 50 pages long, includes extensive cross-references.
There have been a variety of publications on homelessness in the last five years, but no other up-to-date publication is as comprehensive as this encyclopedia. The price tag may be too steep for some, but the set is highly recommended for libraries where homelessness is an issue, for all undergraduate collections as an awareness tool, and as a great broad introduction to the issues of homelessness in today's societies. Diana Shonrock
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